Presidential candidate and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso has attributed the success of the city government’s anti-COVID-19 response measures to public cooperation and discipline.
“Because of you people, applaud yourselves, it looks like we can easily get COVID out. Yes, it’s true we don’t sleep, 24/7, the government doesn’t stop. But if people don’t help, people don’t participate, people don’t behave, we probably won’t succeed,” Moreno said, during his visit to fire victims in San Andres district, in Manila.
From an average of nearly 2,700 daily cases from Sept. 9 to Sept.15 this year, the city now only averaged 60 daily cases from Dec. 2 to Dec. 8, 2021.
The Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer said he is very proud of his constituents because this was achieved despite Manila being one of the densest cities in the world, with nearly two million people packed into just over 16 square miles.
“Even if we are crowded, even if we are poor, even if it is hot inside the house, even if there is confusion, you will not let go. That’s my point, that’s what I’m bragging about. That the people of Manila are listening to the government,” Moreno stressed.
Public cooperation and discipline were in full display at the gathering as the fire victims did not forget to wear face masks despite being homeless due to the fire that hit their community last Dec. 7 that affected 197 families.
They also remained seated and made all efforts to patiently wait for the P10,000 financial assistance to be distributed by the city government.
In the same manner, Moreno also thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for heeding the people’s clamor to remove the compulsory wearing of face shields.
“Thank you President Duterte. Let’s applaud him. He listened to people. But even without a face shield, as long as we don’t remove the face mask,” Moreno said.
Moreno earlier praised President Duterte for initiating the highly successful three-day National Vaccination Drive, which enlisted the services of vaccinators from cities like Manila that have already exceeded the target of 70 percent of its population, that resulted in a record number of people getting vaccinated.
Moreno vowed to continue vaccinating as many Manileňos as he can and as fast as he can in support of the national government’s ramped-up drive to inoculate Filipinos across the country amid fresh threats from the Omicron variant.
As of Dec. 9, the Manila City Health Office reported that some 1.565 million people have been inoculated for their first dose, representing 147% of the target population, while 1.407 million have been fully vaccinated or 132 percent based on the target.
Earlier in his Listening Tour in Malabon, Moreno reminded people to remain vigilant and not to let their guard down to keep the spread of the coronavirus at bay, as the country experiences a significant decline in COVID-19 cases in the past weeks.
According to Moreno, the public must continue to observe the minimum health protocols, particularly the use of face masks and alcohol to disinfect their hands, and physical distancing.
